Essex Court Chambers joins campaign to fund interview travel for under 25s in legal sector
Essex Court Chambers has agreed to cover interview travel expenses for under-25s as part of a campaign to remove financial barriers for young people seeking careers in law. The initiative, led by recruitment specialist Ellie Hecht, aims to ensure that travel costs do not stop talented candidates from attending interviews or assessment days.
Corporate law firms have long provided travel reimbursements to candidates attending interviews, assessment centres and open days, with some even paying for hotel stays for applicants travelling from outside London. A few have gone further. The London office of elite United States firm Paul Weiss made headlines last year when it pledged to buy business attire for work experience students and provide executive accommodation as part of its summer vacation scheme.
Such support has been far less common among barristers’ chambers and smaller law firms, where recruitment budgets are usually tighter.
Hecht, founder of chambers recruitment consultancy InnLegal, began her campaign earlier this year to promote free interview travel for anyone under 25. She said the idea came from her direct experience helping young applicants who were struggling to pay for basic travel to interviews.
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“With unemployment at an 11 year high, train fares should not be another barrier preventing job seekers from getting a job or even an interview,” Hecht said. “It has been incredible hearing people’s stories, from those who have experienced homelessness to others now working in law after being helped by charities. I recently gave a candidate money from my own pocket for the train. They were brilliant, but they almost missed their shot because of a tenner.”
Hecht added that the financial strain of repeated interviews can be overwhelming for those from lower income backgrounds. “For every five candidates who interview, only one gets the job. The rest are straight back out there, interviewing again, three, four, five times, sometimes paying over twenty pounds for each trip. It adds up. And for some, it is the difference between opportunity and exclusion. So, I decided to do something about it.”
The backing of Essex Court Chambers, one of the most prestigious commercial sets in London, marks a major step forward for the campaign. The chambers, part of the Magic Circle of top barristers’ sets, said its aim was to remove barriers that prevent young people from pursuing career opportunities in law.
Senior clerk Joe Ferrigno confirmed the decision and encouraged other chambers and firms to follow. “We would welcome seeing this kind of support adopted more widely,” he said.
The move has been welcomed by supporters of the campaign and those working to widen access to the legal profession. They hope Essex Court’s decision will encourage more chambers, especially those recruiting for pupillage, to offer similar travel support.
Campaigners believe that extending such assistance to under 25s could help reduce inequalities in access to early legal careers. Travel costs, particularly for candidates outside London and the South East, can quickly reach hundreds of pounds across several interviews. The expense can be prohibitive for many aspiring lawyers from less privileged backgrounds.
While large corporate firms have generally led the way in providing financial help to applicants, Hecht’s campaign has drawn attention to the gap between the Bar and the solicitor profession. The participation of a Magic Circle chambers is seen as a sign of progress toward a more inclusive approach across the wider legal sector.
Hecht said her goal was simple: to make sure that no one misses an interview because they cannot afford the journey.